Cheese blending offers both functionality and flavor, saysMark “The Cheese Dude” Todd, culinary consultant for theCalifornia Milk Advisory Board in Modesto, California. “Dif-ferent cheeses will give you the stretch, coverage and browningyou need as well as build a unique flavor profile,” he says. “Thegood thing is, there’s virtually no cheese you can’t make workon pizza.”According to Ed Zimmerman, president of The Food Con-nector in Petaluma, California, the most popular cheese blendused by most pizzerias is a mix of mozzarella, provolone andParmesan. “Cheese is the ‘center of the plate’ for pizza,” Zim-merman says. “The more an operator can differentiate himselfand add value, the more consumers will notice that differenceand keep coming back.”Ruth Gresser, owner of Pizzeria Paradiso ( eatyourpizza.com)in Washington, D.C., and Alexandria, Virginia, and authorof the upcoming book Kitchen Workshop—Pizza, agrees thatcheese should never be an afterthought. “Think of the cheeseas a variable topping, not as a given,” she says. “When creat-ing pizza combinations, it’s important to consider cheese—orcheeses—that enhance the other toppings; focus on flavor, tex-ture and the pizza as a whole.”

Blendables

So are you ready to do a little experimenting? “Every cheese
blend usually starts with part-skim mozzarella, or ‘pizza cheese,’
as its primary component,” Todd says. “Part-skim mozzarella
melts, flows and browns well, so it’s a good bulk cheese.” The
standard blending ratios are 80/10/10 or 80/20, with the typical additions being cheddar, provolone, whole-milk mozzarella
and Monterey Jack. “If you want to set yourself apart, use 80%
part-skim mozzarella, 10% cheddar, and 10% of something
with a lot of flavor, such as blue cheese, smoked mozzarella or
pepper Jack,” he advises. “Even if you get a base blend from
your distributor, you can still add in your own special cheese
to maximize the flavor.”

Molto Basilico

Recipe and photo provided by the California Milk Advisory Board

Ingredients

3 oz. pesto sauce

1 10” extra-thin pizza crust (tart dough or cracker crust preferred)

1 oz. minced garlic

2 oz. shredded Pesto Jack

3 oz. shredded part-skim mozzarella

1 oz. grated Dry Jack

6-8 large basil leaves, fried until crisp and slightly darkened

Directions

Spread pesto sauce thinly over crust; sprinkle evenly with garlic.
Sprinkle with Pesto Jack, then with mozzarella. Bake at 475°F
until the crust has a golden edge and crisp bottom and cheese is
slightly browned. Garnish with Dry Jack and basil leaves.

A custom blend of cheeses will give your pizzas a unique taste that
customers will notice and crave.